Different games, same story – the ISU soccer team couldn’t find the back of the net right now with a map and a compass.

Thirty-seven shots and no goals added up to two more losses for the Cyclones (6-11, 2-5 Big 12) this weekend, whose offensive woes gave their postseason chances another hit.

Despite two well-played games, Iowa State lost to Kansas on Friday night, 2-0, and No. 25 Colorado, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon.

“The ball is going to bounce the right way,” said coach Rebecca Hornbacher. “We just have to keep on doing what we are doing and fighting together.”

Kansas (9-6, 4-3) scored twice in the first half to put the Cyclones in an early hole, while the Buffaloes (8-5-2, 2-4-1) survived possibly the best 30 minutes of ISU soccer this season unharmed.

Iowa State outshot Colorado, 12-2, at one point in the first half, but had nothing to show for it. CU freshman Nikki Marshall capitalized off a Buffalo run 20 minutes into the second half, scoring her 10th goal of the season.

The Cyclones, who haven’t scored in the last three-and-a-half games, couldn’t capitalize on several scoring opportunities thereafter. Several close calls defined the weekend – crossbar hits, near-misses – as the offense was threatening but unproductive.

“It is frustrating because our team works so hard,” said junior Erin Witte. “A lot of teams after the game will admit that we outplayed them . but it comes down to goals and keeping the ball out of the net, and we didn’t do it this weekend.”

The Cyclones will now have to win themselves back into the Big 12 tournament. Stuck in four-game losing streak, the team has fallen into the fringe of the conference standings.

Iowa State is now in ninth place, one spot away from making the eight-team field. The team faces two conference powers next weekend – eighth-ranked Texas A&M and 14th-ranked Texas.

After Sunday’s loss, Hornbacher said the team just has to push through their slump.

“It goes off the crossbar three or four times hard, and it’s just one of those things,” Hornbacher said. “You woulda, coulda, shoulda, but we have to keep playing the way we are playing. We are playing well, we just didn’t get the result.”

The Cyclone offense dominated in the first half against Colorado, controlling the run of play and easily up the field.

When that first goal comes, Witte expects a complete breakout.

“Once we do start finishing the goals, they will keep coming,” Witte said. “Even though we do have three games left . We know we are just as good as any team in our conference, but it’s going come down to these last three games to get in the tournament.”